


Winter Doldrums

by LiesandJintrigue



Series: The Warrior and the Wildflower AU [5]
Category: VIXX
Genre: Accidental Voyeurism, Developing Relationship, Keo are at it again, Light Angst, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-03
Updated: 2019-08-03
Packaged: 2020-07-29 22:49:03
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,745
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20090056
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LiesandJintrigue/pseuds/LiesandJintrigue
Summary: Winter drags on in the village for newcomer Sanghyuk. His hosts are welcoming but awkward. He finds sticking with the village leader has its merits.





	Winter Doldrums

**Author's Note:**

> Rated mature for a brief non-explicit sex scene?

It was warm in the loft of the hut and Sanghyuk was fighting hard not to drift off. It was still early afternoon and he'd been having trouble sleeping through the night since he moved to the village. He sighed and rolled onto his back to stare at the rough wooden beams above him. The small hut was cozy and Sanghyuk was grateful to Taekwoon and Jaehwan for letting him stay with them but he still wasn't used to such kindness. It was even worse when the village leader, Hakyeon stopped by to check on him. Every look Hakyeon gave him screamed "let me comfort you", especially after the ruckus of Sanghyuk being allowed to stay in the village.

Hakyeon had been fierce in his speech, bringing up how Wonshik had been treated and how wrong the villagers had acted towards the lowlander. He told them that Sanghyuk was staying and that was the final word on the matter. The villagers had complied, though there were those who complained under their breath and shot Sanghyuk dirty looks. Since that day, Sanghyuk hadn't wandered far from the hut even though the weather was steadily warming. 

Sanghyuk hadn't realized his eyes had closed until they snapped open when the door opened. Below, the sound of Jaehwan's obnoxiously loud voice rang through the small space. Sanghyuk cringed. He didn't really feel like being a good guest right now.

"Hyukkie, we're home," Jaehwan singsonged. Sanghyuk froze at the nickname. Though he was sure Jaehwan had meant it innocently, it reminded him of Minseok. He lay still, his throat feeling tight and he didn't respond. Maybe he would just feign sleep and join them later.

"I guess he's not here," Jaehwan told Taekwoon. 

"That's a good sign, I hope he's adjusting well," Taekwoon hummed. There was a scrape of one of the chairs being pulled away from the table. Sanghyuk relaxed into his pallet in the loft and figured he might as well nap for real.

When Sanghyuk awoke, it was still light out. He wasn't sure how long he'd been asleep for but it couldn't have been more than an hour. As he stretched he heard a noise from somewhere below in the room. Sanghyuk propped himself up on his elbow and rubbed his eyes. There was a loud moan and he swore under his breath. Rolling onto his stomach, Sanghyuk crawled towards the edge of the loft to peek over the side. If he was lucky, his hosts had retired to the curtained off area where they slept. If not…

Jaehwan was in one of the chairs with Taekwoon sitting in his lap, half bent over the table. The healer's robe was hanging open, barely held together by its sash, the hem bunched around his hips. Jaehwan held Taekwoon by one shoulder, his other hand on his waist as they moved together. Taekwoon cried out again in pleasure.

Sanghyuk rolled away from the edge of the loft and squeezed his thighs together, his face hot. Sometimes on sleepless nights he would hear Jaehwan and Taekwoon behind their curtains. They tried being quiet but Sanghyuk had learned to be alert and observant while traveling with Jungwoo and his men. He didn't blame them as they seemed highly affectionate and he had invaded their home but he had never caught them in the act before. 

"I need to leave," Sanghyuk thought feverishly. First he willed his body to behave and then started to move his pallet around. With a big yawn he kicked against the floorboards. Below, there was a silence in which you could hear a pin drop.

"Sanghyuk?" Taekwoon called softly. Sanghyuk yawned again and sat up.

"Taekwoon? I've been passed out since morning; is it time for dinner?" He moved towards the corner of the loft where the ladder was leaned against the wall and let his feet dangle over the side.

"W-wait a moment before you come down!" Taekwoon's voice sounded panicked and there was a commotion of rustling clothes below. Sanghyuk swung his feet as he waited until finally Taekwoon gave him permission to come down. Once he'd descended the ladder, he snuck a quick glance at his hosts. They both looked embarrassed and Sanghyuk fought the urge to laugh.

"Ah Jaehwan is here too." Sanghyuk tried to keep his face as neutral as possible even though he knew his ears were probably bright red. Neither of the older men could quite meet Sanghyuk's eyes and he was kind of relieved. There was an awkward silence between the three of them before Jaehwan nudged Taekwoon.

"Um, you mentioned dinner but I haven't started it yet, sorry." Taekwoon apologized staring at the floor.

"That's alright, I think I'll take a walk." Sanghyuk shrugged and headed for the door of the hut.

“Do you think he heard us?” Sanghyuk heard Jaehwan whisper to Taekwoon as he was opening the door. He bit the inside of his cheek to keep himself from laughing once again and headed out. 

Once outside, he took a deep breath and studied his surroundings. He hadn't thought of exactly where to go, so he started walking aimlessly. He was still a bit wary about interacting with the other villagers, but he enjoyed the peacefulness of the village as he walked on the path.

Sanghyuk suddenly stopped when he heard a voice call out to him.

“Sanghyuk?” He turned only to see Hakyeon walking in his direction. The village leader had a warm smile on his face and Sanghyuk felt his face heat up just the slightest bit.

“What brings you out here? I don’t normally see you go outside…” Hakyeon questioned.

Sanghyuk cleared his throat before speaking. “Oh, um… Taekwoon and Jaehwan came in and uh… Started… Doing things…” He blushed as he explained. “I-I didn’t want to get in their way and make it awkward so… I left for the time being.”

Hakyeon raised an eyebrow, then let out a small chuckle.

“Ah, I should have known. Those two can never seem to keep their hands off of each other.”

"They seem to um...be very much in love?" Sanghyuk offered. Hakyeon nodded his head with a tired smile on his face. Sanghyuk tried not to think about how lovely Hakyeon looked when he smiled.

"I'd invite you to stay at my place but- well you know," Hakyeon waved his hand vaguely.

_ "Yes, I know we burned it down,"  _ Sanghyuk thought. He glanced away from the older man. Hakyeon seemed to realize that Sanghyuk was still feeling guilty about the fire and he took his hand gently. Sanghyuk stopped breathing, focused on the warmth of Hakyeon's hands on his.

"We have plans to build a cottage for me as soon as the snow starts melting. It should be done in early spring and you're always welcome there," Hakyeon assured him softly. Sanghyuk's heart thumped loudly in his chest and he hoped Hakyeon couldn't hear it. He managed to meet the leader's deep brown eyes which were staring intently into his own. 

"Hakyeon, I-" 

"Hey!"

Before he could finish, someone called out to them and they turned to see Hyungsik barrelling down the path towards them. Sanghyuk tensed up and tried to pull away from Hakyeon who only squeezed his hand reassuringly. Hyungsik stopped in front of them, casting a cursory glance at their intertwined hands before shrugging.

"I've been looking everywhere for you," Hyungsik said, wiping his own hands on his cloak. 

"Hyungsik, is there something you need? Can it wait until tomorrow's petitions?" Hakyeon seemed weary but his eyes were sharp. Hyungsik shook his head. "Not  _ you _ . I was looking for Sanghyuk."

Hakyeon and Sanghyuk exchanged surprised looks. Why would Hyungsik of all people be looking for Sanghyuk?

"Ah, it's nothing bad I swear," Hyungsik laughed nervously. He reached under his cloak into a bag that was strapped across his chest and pulled out a small tart with a golden crust and a dusting of sugar. 

"It's not much but, I'm truly sorry for my behavior towards Wonshik. I don't have the opportunity to say this to him but I didn't want to make the same mistake with you. Welcome to our village, Sanghyuk" the baker said sincerely. He held the tart out to Sanghyuk in apology. Hakyeon watched in shocked silence until he had to release Sanghyuk's hand so he could take the tart.

"Um, thank you for your hospitality." Sanghyuk mumbled, his ears turning pink. He stared down at the little tart in his hand. 

"Well, I have to get back to the bakery," Hyungsik said, rubbing the back of his neck. The baker turned on his heel and scurried off, leaving Hakyeon and Sanghyuk alone again.

“Well… that was unexpected.” Hakyeon spoke up after Hyungsik had disappeared. Hakyeon took Sanghyuk’s unoccupied hand and squeezed it warmly.

“I hope this means you’ll feel better being here.”

Sanghyuk felt his face heat up and he hoped that Hakyeon wouldn’t notice. “I- um, y-yeah….”

"Walk with me?" Hakyeon motioned towards the path leading away from the healer's hut. It didn't seem like Hakyeon planned on returning Sanghyuk anytime soon so he nodded. He was a little disappointed when Hakyeon dropped his hand but they walked close enough for their shoulders to bump. They walked on in silence, passing buildings that were starting to become familiar to Sanghyuk. As they walked, the buildings along the path started to show signs of the fire, some in various stages of repair. Sanghyuk started to feel anxious and began to fall a little bit behind Hakyeon. He stopped completely when they came up to what was left of the hall, where Hakyeon had lived with Elder Cha. He had seen it once when Hakyeon had given him the tour but it was brief. Standing in front of it now, Sanghyuk felt his stomach twist. The roof had collapsed from both the fire and subsequent snowfalls. The doors hung open swinging in the cold draft that blew from the interior. 

Hakyeon let out a quiet breath and stepped closer to Sanghyuk, the younger man feeling the waves of sadness between them. Hakyeon reached up and rang the bell that hung near the doors, the sound echoing through the empty hall. 

“I wanted you to see this, Sanghyuk. Not to make you feel guilty but for you to see that even when we’ve been through the worst, it’s not the end.” Hakyeon said, taking Sanghyuk’s hand once more. He pulled Sanghyuk through the doors and into the hall where the afternoon light shone through the caved in ceiling. From the outside, things had looked pretty grim but the inside, though empty, had been cleared of debris.

Hakyeon had decided he would rebuild the hall to continue receiving petitions and having events there, but he couldn’t live in the vast hall anymore. It was still painful to see his grandfather’s empty chamber. Sanghyuk watched Hakyeon as he stood in the patch of light from the roof and he felt a pang of regret. 

If he had met Hakyeon in a different way-- if he hadn’t been in Jungwoo’s company-- would things have been different? A glint of something metal shone under Hakyeon’s cloak, distracting Sanghyuk. Hakyeon turned his eyes back to Sanghyuk and followed his line of sight. He automatically touched whatever had caught the light, bringing it from beneath the cloak.

“What’s that?” Sanghyuk asked, stepping forward to inspect the item closer. It was a delicate silver chain with a carefully wrought owl pendant on the end. It looked like it was an antique, some wear and tear apparent on the shiny surface. 

“This is the symbol of the Cha family,” Hakyeon said softly. He held the pendant up for Sanghyuk to see better. “Our family motto is ‘Wisdom and an iron will’. We pride ourselves on academics but each generation of Cha is also taught smithing as a practical trade.”

“Smithing? You mean you smith like that guy Hyunwoo?” Sanghyuk asked skeptically. He eyed Hakyeon’s slender form with a doubtful look. Hakyeon laughed and tucked the pendant back into his cloak.

“Yes, I’ve done it since I was a boy; I’m stronger than I look.”

Sanghyuk tried not to let his mind wander too far with the thought of Hakyeon being strong. He shook his head to rid himself of those thoughts, enticing as they were.

“We better get back, it’s going to get dark soon and I’m sure Taekwoon and Jaehwan will wonder where you are.”

Sanghyuk followed Hakyeon back out of the hall reluctantly. It wasn’t that he didn’t want to see his two caretakers but he enjoyed Hakyeon’s company and wished they could spend more time together. As if reading his mind, Hakyeon turned to him once they were back in the lane.

“Why don’t I come home with you? We can all have supper together and maybe I can remind those two they need to behave.” Hakyeon gave Sanghyuk a wink and led the way back to the healer’s hut.

A chorus of voices greeted their knock on the door. Inside, Hongbin sat drinking tea while Taekwoon gently rubbed a healing salve over his fresh tattoo. Sanghyuk didn’t miss the way Hakyeon frowned for half a second before rearranging his face into a more neutral expression. 

“So,” the village leader began. “You boys wouldn’t mind if I joined you for supper, would you?”

Jaehwan spoke up enthusiastically. “Of course! You know you’re always welcome here, Hakyeon.” He chirped with a smile. Jaehwan went into the pantry to pull out an extra place setting for Hakyeon before moving to the hearth. Sanghyuk could smell some kind of soup cooking over the fire and his stomach growled loudly.

“I’d say that’s the dinner bell.” Taekwoon laughed. He finished wrapping Hongbin’s tattoo with fresh bandages and went to wash his hands. Hongbin glanced at Hakyeon out of the corner of his eye, the tension palpable. 

The dinner was a little awkward but Hakyeon, ever the diplomat, still managed to carry on a lively conversation with everyone at the table. He had even given Hongbin a genuine smile when he told a story about something silly Butt had done earlier that day. Once dinner was finished and they’d shared several cups of tea, it was time for Hongbin and Hakyeon to leave for the night. Hakyeon stood to leave, stretching his arms over his head. He turned to Sanghyuk and smiled softly at the younger man. Sanghyuk’s heart skipped several beats.

“Walk me home?”

Sanghyuk nodded and shot to his feet, his stool clattering onto the floor. He hurriedly righted it, his cheeks hot. Hakyeon only smiled at him as if he hadn’t made a fool of himself. The leader walked with Sanghyuk to the door and said goodnight to his friends before plunging into the dark lane.

They walked shoulder to shoulder as the evening had grown cold after sunset. Sanghyuk wondered what would happen if he put his arm around Hakyeon in the name of keeping warm. He tried not to let his mind wander as he thought about being pressed so close to the village leader. He hoped Hakyeon wouldn’t notice the red tint of his cheeks.

“Your shoulders are stiff. Are you feeling alright, Hyuk?” Hakyeon suddenly spoke up, pulling Sanghyuk from his thoughts.

“Huh? Oh, um… I-I’m fine…” Sanghyuk stammered, trying to clear his head. They stopped, having arrived at Hakyeon’s temporary home. Hakyeon turned to him with a warm smile and Sanghyuk’s heart melted a little.

“Sanghyuk, I just want you to know, no matter what happens, you are part of this village now. You’re safe. You can feel free to go and do whatever you want. If he ever returns, Jungwoo will never hurt you again.”

Sanghyuk’s eyes prickled with tears and he quickly shook his head to stop them from falling. He had secretly worried that Jungwoo would return despite Wonshik’s deal. It was like Hakyeon knew his every worry and concern and anticipated what he needed to hear. In a fit of bravery, Sanghyuk grabbed Hakyeon’s hand and pulled him to his chest. It felt like the right thing to do and a wave of relief washed over him. Hakyeon in turn circled his arms around Sanghuk’s waist and rubbed his back soothingly.

“Thank you...for everything,” Sanghyuk whispered.

Sanghyuk was ready to start living his life and he knew Hakyeon would be there to help him. 

  
  


**Author's Note:**

> Tsk tsk Keo.
> 
> Thanks to Noel for beta-ing.


End file.
